Tablet making machine



Qrigi-nal Filed Feb. 2, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Rene RMagnena/t.

fi 'w ATTORNEY Original Filed Feb. 2. 1937 3 Sheets-Shem 2 Y E N a n m 8m 4 m .e R

1940- R. P. MAGNENAT TABLET MAKING MACHINE Original Filed e v 1937 3Sheets-Sheet 3 III I i I Hi VIII/,1.

INVE NTOR Rene RMagnena,t.

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ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,219,048 TABLET MAKINGMACHINE Ren P. Magnenat, Waterbury, Conn., assignor to The WaterburyButton Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Originalapplication February 2, 1937, Serial No.

Divided and this application January 5, 1940, Serial No. 312,485

6 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for making apertured tablets frompowdered materials, and

more particularly to a tablet making machine of this nature havingimproved hollow tablet forming tools, including punches, dies andejectors.

This application is a division of my copending application for a Tabletmaking machine, Serial No. 123,627, filed February 2, 1937.

.Previous machines for producing tablets and like products from powderedmaterial for use in making buttons, insulating washers, blanks requiringfurther operations, etc., were subject to the disadvantage that thepowdered material employed would fly about in the form of dust, andwould settle upon the operating parts thereof, particularly on surfaceshaving exposed lubricant, such as gears, cams and slides. This usuallyproduced abrasion, sticking .and injurious strains and fatigue, andtherefore, sometimes resulted go in breakage and failures.

A further disadvantage of such machines was that the lubricating oil orgrease supplied to the various bearings would often creep into the die,and cause discoloration of the tablets, rendering 25 them useless, andit was impossible to remove such lubricant without completelyoverhauling the machine.

I A still further disadvantage of such prior tablet making machines wasthat considerable time 30 and labor was required to make the necessaryadjustments in the punch and ejector strokes, so that they wouldproperly cooperate to form the desired product. In many instances suchadjustments required a complete resetting of the 35 machine for eachtrial, an operation which was time and labor consuming and seriouslyinterfered with production. Moreover, the former types of tablet presseswere often quite complicated in design and the parts requiringadjustment were relatively inaccessible.

By means of the present invention, the above and other disadvantageshave been avoided and a. tablet making machine has been provided havinga rectangular multiple punch and die holder 5 in which it is possible tocompress tablets of a great variety of shapes and sizes. The diecavities may be arranged compactly in one or a pair of spaced straightrows resulting in rapid production. The parts are readily accessible forquick adjustments and the principal operating parts are effectivelysealed from loose powder or lubricant.

' One object of the present invention is to provide a machine of theabove nature having means 5; forpermitting the size and weight of thetablets to be adjusted without disassembling the parts I of the machine.

A further object is to rovide above nature having an improved form ofadjustable relatively shockless tablet ejecting mech-v anism.

Another object is to provide in such a machine, cam and eccentric meansdriven by a common central source of power for operating the punch-tcarrying head-and the tablet ejector mechanism.;

A further object is to provide a machine of the above nature which willbe extremely strong and compact, having only a few projecting parts, and

provided with means for effectively lubricating the parts subject to thegreatest stresses,

A still. further object is to provide a tablet making machine of theabove nature which will be relatively simple in construction and inex-'pensive to manufacture compared with its wide range of uses, easy tomanipulate and clean, and very efficient and durable in use.-

With' these and other objects in view, there.

has been illustrated on the accompanying drawings one form in which theinvention may be convenientlyembodied in practice.

In thedrawingsz,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the im-' proved tablet-pressingmachine.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same. 1

Fig. 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the ejec tor block, ejector rods,and the aperture forming pins, taken on the line 6- -6'of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectionalview taken on the line 1-1 ofFig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numeralsdesignatelikeparts throughout the several views, the numerals l5 and I6denote lower and upper frames, respectively, which frames are securedtogether as by bolts for supporting the various mechanisms of the machine. The upper portion of the upper frame It. forms a horizontalsupporting table for a die block I! in which is mounted a die l8, hereinshown as having a plurality ofstablet forming a machine-of theopeningsI9, said die I8 being retained in place by means of clamp bars 20.

The die block I'I extends between two upright members 2I and 22 whichare interconnected with said block by means of cooperating tongues andgrooves 23. A plurality of hollow punches 99 are suspended by a punchblock 25, which in turn is secured to a cylindrical ram 26, and saidpunches 99 are arranged in vertical alinement.

with the die openings I9 so that when the ram 26 descends, they willenter the dies and compress the loose powdered material disposedtherein.

The punch ram 26 is mounted in a horizontal head 2'! which is adapted tobe vertically reciprocated. In order to vertically reciprocate thehorizontal head 21 and the ram 29, said head 21 is connected as by meansof nuts 36 to a plurality of vertical tie rods 31, one of which isdisposed at each corner of the head, and whichextend downwardlytherefrom in two pairs to a point below the upper frame-I6.

The tie rods 31 pass through the ends of a pair of laterally spacedcross-beams 38 and 39, and then into a pair of bearing and guiding lugs40, respeetively, formed on the lower frame I5. The tie rods 37 areretained in connection with the cross-beams 38 and 39 by means of nuts Mlocated beneath said cross-beams. Each crossbeam 38 and 39 has a slottedopening formed in its center portion wherein is disposed one end 43 of apair of downwardly extending cranklinks 44 which are rotatably connectedto the cross-beams 38, 39 by pivot pins 45. The crank links 44 are.rotatively mounted at their lower ends 46 upon short eccentric pins 41and 48 exwith a pinion 54-mounted on a horizontal crossshaft 55, whichextends out of the frame I5 and base. pulley 56 secured thereon. Thepulley 56 may be suitably'driven by. means of a belt 51 from any.desired source of power, such as an overhead.counter-shaft, receivingpower from a motor, not shown..

In order to assist themain shaft 49. in .raising the head 21 at eachupward stroke of the links 44 and tie-rods 31, provision is made of twocoiledpompression springs 58v (one shownin F g.

1), the lower ends of said springs engaging against the upper surface ofthe upper frame I6, and the upper ends pressing against the upper endsof two fiangedtubular inverted casings 59,

respectively, and secured to the horizontal head 21. Two pairs ofair-tight sleeves 60 and GI, which telescope within each other, areemployed to cover the lower parts of the springs 58 and serve to preventingress of powder or dust into the casings and onto'the coiled springs58.

Die-filling mechanism -The mechanism whereby the die openings I9 maybepositively filled with powdered material,

and the formed pellets or tablets intermittently removed from the upperface of the die block I! after they have been ejected from the dies ashereinafter described is partially illustrated in Fig. 3. In thismechanism the hopper 62 carryingpowdered material is reciprocated intimed relation with the operations of the punches 99, so as to bedisposed over the die openings I9 between the strokes of the punches,said hopper also serving to remove completed tablets ejected from saiddie openings. The hopper 62 is maintained full of powdered material by aflexible tube 63 leading to any suitable source of supply.

Tablet ejectors In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 a plurality of hollowtablet ejecting rods I are shown rigidly held in a sliding ejector rodblock 89, which block is secured to an ejector ram 90. The upper ends ofthe ejector rods I00 are adapted to form bottoms for the die openingsI9, as well as to eject the compressedapertured tablets T therefrom.

The punch block 25 and the ejector rod block -89 are both retained onthe rams 26 and 90 by means of clamping plates 9I and 92 respectively.

Each of the clamping plates 9|, 92 is provided with a lip 93 whichoverhangs shoulders 94 on the respective blocks whereby said blocks 25,89 are clamped firmly against the respective. rams 26, 90 by means ofbolts 95, 95. The lips 93 and theshoulders 94 extend across the rams 26and 90, so that the blocks 25, 89 may be horizontally moved to bring thepunches 99 and ejector 100 into alinement with the openings I9 in thedie I8. In the punch block and ram assembly, the block 25 abuts directlyagainst the. under face of theram 26, whereby a solid and rigid backingfor the punches 99 is provided. In the ejectorrod block and ramassembly, however, the block 89 overlies a transverse slot 9! whichpassesdie ametrically across the ram 90.

Center pins or core rods IOI for with the die openings. I19 of the diesI8 are provided, and are. adapted to enter and slidingly fit the boresof the hollow punches 99 and the hollow ejector rods I00. The centerpins II are rigidly supported by a stationary cross-bar I02 whichextends through the transverse slot 91 in the movable. ejector ram.90and is secured. at each of its. ends to a pair of shoulders I03, I03formedat opposite sides of the upright members 2| and22, as by. screwsI04.

The center pins IOI extend upwardly to the upper surface of the die I8and pass through the hollow ejector rods I00 and into the lower ends ofthehollow punches 99. By means of this construction, .it will be seenthat each tablet formed in .the press will have a central aperture. Theportion of the opening.9l below the crossbar I02 is left vacant in thisarrangement to permit the ram 90 to be moved upwardly with respect tosaid bar I02 to actuate the ejector rods The mechanism for verticallyreciprocating the ejector ram 90 and through it the hollow ejector rodsI00 and for vertically adjusting said ram 90 for varying the stroke ofthe same is fully described in the above mentioned parent application.horizontally disposed base plate I (Fig. 2) adapted to be movedvertically in timed relation with the operation of the punches 99 bymeans of camming slots I2I, I22Iformed in the opposite side faces of thelarge drive gear 52, and which act on rollers I provided on the lowerends of a pair of slide bars: H6. The slide bars II6 are suitablyconnected to the base plate I06 to permit its adjustment, as is fullydescribed in said parent application,- the upper ends of said bars beingguided by two pairs of rollers H9, H8. The camming slots I2I, I22.areadapted to act on the cooperating baseplate I06 in such a-manner as to'firstfgrad ually raise it, allow it to remain at. rest while in -upposition, then permit said plate to abruptly drop, and to remain at restfor a substantially long period while in down .position during theformation of the tablets. The ejector ram .90 is secured to the baseplate I06 in order to permit it to be vertically adjustedrelatively'thereto as described in the aforesaid application. l r

I Operation In operation, after the proper die I8 has been assembled inthe die block I1, the punch block 25 will be adjusted vertically to thedesired point by means (not shown) actuated by the handwheel 35. Theejector block 89 will likewise. be adjusted as desired by turning thehand-wheel II to actuate mechanism (not shown) 'but act ing on the ram90. The hollow ejector rods I00 will form the bottoms for the dieopenings I9 during the punching process. and will thereafter be raisedto bring their upper ends to the" level of the upper surface of the dieI0 toeject the tablets. A standard. length of ejector rod I00 willpreferably be used for all sizes of tablets.

It will be understood that one of the camming slots I2I and I22 will beadvanced angularly with respect to the other, due to the spacing apartof the slides I I6, so that the lifting action of said camming slotswill occur simultaneously upon the slides II6. The action of the cammingslots I2I, I22 will cause the plate I06 and the ejector ram 90 to riseand to eject the formed tablets T just before the horizontal head 21carrying the punches 99 reaches the limit of its upward stroke. Thedwell occasioned by a section of the camming slots is sufficiently longto permit complete vertical ejection of the tablets T as abovedescribed, and also permits a slight downward movement of the horizontalhead 21 and a rearward movement of the hopper 62 to take place. Theabrupt drop occasioned by another portion of the camming slots disposesthe ejector rods I00 in their normal bottom position, the rods 99, ram90, and plate I06 being rigidly supported by the shoulders formed on theupper frame I6 to insure a solid and firm abutment against which thepunches 99 may act to compress the powdered material in the dies intosolid hollow tablets T. During the forward and backward movement of thehopper 62, which occurs in timed relation between the strokes of thepunches 99 and the ejector rods I00, the complete filling of the dieopenings with the powdered material takes place.

When the hollow ejector rods I00 are in down position, forming bottomsfor the die openings I9, the aperture-forming stationary core rods IOIwill extend upwardly therethrough with their upper ends substantially inalinement with the upper surface of the die block II. As the hollowpunches 99 descend into the die openings I9 to form a tablet, the corerods IOI will enter the bore of the punches 99. When the punches 99again rise and the ejector rods I00 are lifted,

the apertured tablets T will be forced upwardly from the core rods IOI,out of the die openings I9, and will be pushed therefrom by the hopper62 as it advances laterally over the die openings I9. The ejector rodsI00 will then be retracted downwardly, the core rods IOI remainingstationary in the die openings I9, and these openings I9 will be againfilled with powdered material from the hopper 62.

One advantage of the present invention is that the centrally disposeddriving I gear which has" camming slots in its oppositefacestand'theloppositely disposed crank links and slides I I6, producesa balanced mechanism-which is capable of withstanding comparatively.heavy stresses without occasioning vibration or uneven operation. Theuse of the machine herein disclosed will result in a material increasein production of tablets of any size or form, and sin'ce adjustments maybe made without disassembling the machine, shut downs for repairs andadjustment; or for changing the size of tablets .will be' reduced to theminimum. While there have been disclosed in'this spe'cificationone formin which the inventionmay be embodied, it is to be understood that thisform is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that theinvention is not to belimited tothe specific disclosures, but may bemodified and embodied in various other forms without departing from itsspirit. In short, the inventiondn cludes all the modifications andembodimentscoming within the scope of the followingc'laims; Having thusfully described the invention," What is claimed as new, and for which itis desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In -a machine for making 'apertured tablets, a stationary die, amovable hollow punch fitting said die, means to slide said punch intothe top portion of said die from above, a movable hollow ejector rodfitting said die and slidable through said die from below, said ejectorrod forming a base for said die during the punching operation andserving to eject said tablets subsequent thereto, a block secured tosaid ejector rod below said die and movable with said ejector rod, aslotted ram secured to said block, a center core rod extending throughsaid die and ejector rod, and a stationary cross-bar mounted in saidmachine immediately below'said ejector rod block and extending throughthe slotin said ram, said core rod being rigidly secured to saidcross-bar. 2. In a machine for making apertured tablets, a stationarydie, a movable hollow punch fitting said die, means to slide said punchinto the top portion of said die from above, a movable hollow ejectorrod fitting said die and slidable through said die from below, saidejector rod forming a base for said die during the punching operationand serving to eject said tablets subsequent thereto, a ram secured toand movable with said ejector rod below said die, said ram having atransverse slot, a core rod extending through said die and ejector rodat all times and through the lower end of said punch on the down stroke,

thereof, and a stationary cross-bar located in said slot and rigidlysupported in said machine outside of said ram, said core rod beingrigidly secured to said cross-bar. v

3. In a machine for making apertured tablets, a stationary die having adie opening therethrough, a reciprocable punch adapted to enter the topof said die opening-from above, a reciprocable hollow ejector rodadapted to enter the die opening from the bottom and to form a bottomfor the die opening, a ram secured to said ejector rod and having atransverse slot formed therein, an aperture-forming core rod extendingupwardly within the slot in said ram and through said ejector rod intothe die opening, and a stationary cross-bar extending transverselythrough the slot in said ram to support said core rod, said cross-barbeing supported at its ends outside of said ram.

4. In a machine for making apertured molded therethrough, -areciprocable punch having a bore and being adapted to enter the dieopening from the top, a reciprocable hollow ejector rod adapted to enterthe die opening from the bottom and to form a bottom for the die openingduring the molding of said tablet, a reciprocable ram for holding saidejector rod and having a transverse slotiformed therein, an apertureforming corerod extending upwardly within the slot in said ram .rastationary die having a die opening therethrough, a hollow reciprocablepunch adapted to enter the die'opening from the top, a reciprocablehollow ejector rod adapted to enter the die open-V ing from the bottomand to form a bottom ,for

tablets, a stationary die having a die opening the die :opening, areciproca-ble ram for holding saidiejector. rod and having. a transverseslot formed therein, an aperture-forming core rod extending upwardlywithin the slot in said ram and through said ejector rod and the dieopening, and a stationary cross-bar extending transversely throughtheslot in said ram to support said core rod.

6. In a machine formalcing apertured tablets,

a stationary die having a die opening there- A through, a hollowreciprocable punch adapted to enter the die opening from the top, areciprocable hollow ejector rod adapted to enter the die opening fromthe bottom and to form a bottom for the die opening, ,a reciprocable ramfor holding said ejector-rod and having a transverse slot formedtherein, an aperture-formingcore rod extending upwardly within the slotin said ram and through said ejector rod and the die opening, astationary cross-bar extending transversely through the slot in said ramto support said core rod, and means to adjust the throw of said ejectorrod-carrying ram to vary the length of said tablets.

RENE P. MAGNE'NAT.

